BAY AREA DATELINES

Published 4:00 am, Friday, January 29, 1999

San Francisco A 34-year-old San Francisco man was killed when he swerved his speeding motorcycle to avoid a collision with an auto that made a U-turn in his path, police said.

Kurt Fried died Wednesday at San Francisco General Hospital approximately 2-1/4 hours after the accident, which occurred on Sloat Boulevard near Paraiso Place in the Parkside-Lake Merced area at 7 p.m.

Unmarried couples

rental ruling appealed San Francisco California and five other Western states have asked a federal appeals court to reconsider its ruling allowing religious landlords to refuse to rent to unmarried couples.

Attorney General Bill Lockyer said Thursday his counterparts in Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Montana and Hawaii had agreed to join him in asking the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for a rehearing before an 11-judge panel. The state of Alaska and the city of Anchorage, defendants in the case, also have requested a rehearing.

In a 2-1 ruling Jan. 14, an appeals court panel said two owners of rental housing in Anchorage whose religious beliefs condemned sex outside marriage were entitled to exemptions from state and local laws prohibiting housing discrimination based on marital status.

Irritant sprayed

inside school bus Menlo Park Eight children were treated for exposure to pepper spray after an eighth-grader unleashed a burst of the irritant aboard a school bus.

The students, who ranged in age from 8 to 11, complained of burning eyes and throats from Thursday's incident. They were treated at the scene and released to parents, said Menlo Park police. Another two dozen children on the bus apparently suffered no discomfort.

Officer Andrew Kline said firefighters and police had rushed to the scene near Flood Elementary School at 320 Sheridan Ave. around 3:20 p.m.

The 13-year-old, who was detained by officers, said he had found the small, personal-sized can of pepper spray two days ago on Bay Road and decided to spray it on the floor of the bus after school.

"He didn't actually assault anyone," Kline explained.

Kline said the youth had been sent home, though the case will be referred to the San Mateo County district attorney's office for review because it is illegal for a minor to possess pepper spray.

English professor

named to Cal post Berkeley A UC-Berkeley English professor has been named the school's vice chancellor for
university
relations.

Donald McQuade, 57, was chosen after a nationwide search, Chancellor Robert M. Berdahl announced Thursday.

The appointment must be approved by the UC Board of Regents.

McQuade's duties would include overseeing UC-Berkeley's fund-raising and public affairs operations.&lt;